


I Am Changing

by KayLynnF97



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Comfort/Angst, Dysphoria, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Female/Nonbinary, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Female Character, Nonbinary Character, Slice of Life, Small Towns, Transgender
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-08-06 18:39:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16393037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KayLynnF97/pseuds/KayLynnF97
Summary: Abigail has lived her whole life under the strict rules of her parents. She's never quite felt like she's belonged, both in her own body and in Pelican Town. Enter the new farmer who moves in to town, and begins to change her (their?) life forever.





	I Am Changing

**Author's Note:**

> I've been playing a lot of Stardew Valley. And at the Flower Dance during my first year, Abigail mentioned not liking the dress her mom picked out. Which gave me the inspiration for this fic. This is my first post on this site, and my first real slice of life fic. Enjoy!

While it seemed like the thirteen-hour bus ride couldn’t get any worse, Marleigh Johnston mentally kicked herself for the thousandth for forgetting to pack her favorite pair of headphones in her already bursting backpack. For the past thirteen hours, she cycled through sleeping and watching the sky go from brilliant sunrise orange to an opaque gray blue and down to a fiery orange laced with deep reds as the day began to draw to a close, all the while a still-blank notebook sitting faithfully in her lap. The blank pages taunted her, daring her to taint their pretty white pages with lines of ink she would probably cringe at later. But alas, no words came to be.   
The staticky sound of the driver’s voice sounded through the intercom, muffling the mechanical hums and thuds of the bus in motion. “Alright folks, end of the line. Estimated fifteen minutes to Pelican Town.”  
Marleigh’s stomach immediately began to knot. The bus ride had felt like it was so long that she wasn’t sure she would ever actually make it. But here she was, fifteen minutes to the sleepy town that was meant to change her life. Stardew Valley, according to government records, was a very small, secluded town almost all the way across the country from Marleigh’s hometown of Kenzick, located in the Northwest region of the Ferngull Republic. It totaled about thirty residents. That was the only information that she could find on the place. And while Kenzick had been a reasonably large town, the thought of moving to such a quiet place immediately made Marleigh begin to feel incredibly restless. Her decent-paying job at the Joja Cola Corporate office was only a ten minute drive from her home, and she knew all the best spots in town to have fun in her free time. But It was only after her grandfather died that she finally decided it was time for a change.  
Marleigh’s first day back to work at after her grandfather’s death had been a rough one. She and her grandfather had been incredibly close since she was little, and often wrote each other letters describing any topic they could think of. The last one that she received was considerably different than the ones previously sent. The handwriting was shakier, and the words more idyllic. However, Marleigh could make them out well enough to read a vivid, longing description of not only Pelican Town, but of the entirety of Stardew Valley. In the end, he encouraged her that it was the place to go if she ever needed a change.   
That day came on that first day back to work. She set her coffee on the desk, hastily sloshing a little onto the file sitting next to the computer’s keyboard. Grumbling, she cleaned up the best she could, but not before hearing a disapproving snort from the slightly nasally voice of her boss, Eren Bates.  
“It’s nice to see you back at work after your little vacation,” she greeted, half-condescending-half disapproving. Marleigh turned to the voice, blinked several times in an attempt to comprehend the words that had come out of her bosses’ mouth, and opened her mouth to speak.   
“I requested three days off to attend my grandfather’s funeral. I don’t see how that was much of a vacation.” Her voice was weaker than she wanted, she knew it was heard when she saw Eren’s lips slowly purse to a thin line.   
“Well, I’ll expect you to put in some extra hours this week to make up for the time.”   
Marleigh didn’t know what came over her. It was one of the things she would ponder as she rode on the bus to Pelican Town. But she placed her hands on either side of her desk chair, gulped hard, and opened her mouth, a sudden rush of confidence giving her tunnel vision. “Ms. Bates, the way that you interact with your staff here is abysmal. You place way too many demands on us, leaving us unmotivated and overwhelmed. You’re incapable of showing empathy to anyone and are incapable of caring about anyone but yourself. And I’ve had it. I quit, bitch.”  
Marleigh only caught a glimpse of the shocked look on Eren’s face as she picked up grabbed the nearest empty box and began throwing her personal effects inside. As soon as she was finished, she stood up and half-ran down the stairs to the front of the building. Her legs felt like jelly and she could feel her heart in her chest. But as soon as she felt the cool morning air against her face, she realized that she was free. In spite of herself, a throaty laugh escaped her lips.   
The euphoria only lasted a few minutes before a nagging question formed in the back of Marleigh’s mind; what am I going to do? She had no job, and her family was over an hour away, much too far to want to go back home. She had enough to live on for at least a couple of months, more than enough time to figure out her next career path. However, she wanted something different, something to get her genuinely excited. Years, Marleigh spent working late nights, with Eren breathing down the necks of all her employees. She’d never taken the time to think about what she really wanted.   
And then she remembered the letter.  
Pelican Town.   
That same day, Marleigh bought her ticket, giving her a week to get all of her affairs in order and pack before she departed. Her friends had been distraught, and stressed that Marleigh’s idea was drastic. However, they were also supportive, and sent their best wishes during their last encounter for the foreseeable future.   
A loud screeching sound snapped Marleigh out of her reverie. The bus had stopped, and the door slowly opened. “Alright, last stop, Pelican Town. We hoped you enjoyed you travel with Bushing Bus Systems, and we look forward to your next ride.” She stood slowly, a lump rising in her throat as she slung her backpack over her shoulder. As she walked through the bus, she realized that she was the only one who had rode it to the end of the line. It didn’t surprise her; after all, not everyone would want to live in such a quiet place.   
The driver opened the undercarriage of the bus and pulled out the two suitcases that contained Marleigh’s life. She thanked the driver and turned to get her first glimpse of her new home. The bus station was small, and manned by one person. The road was a dirt path with a worn wood sign pointing the direction to Pelican Town. There was another sign, however it was illegible. So, Marleigh steeled herself and began the trek to town.  
It was only a ten minute walk until Marleigh began seeing lights, but it felt like it was a lot longer. Her shoulder ached from the travels and rolling her luggage behind her. The houses were small, quaint, and half of them were completely dark. Flower beds were scattered intermittently down the cobblestone roads. Marleigh had a sudden panic that this town may not even have a hotel, or place to stay. She had been planning on living in her grandfather’s old farm, which had been uninhabited for years as he got older. However, it was dark and Marleigh had no idea where she was going. Finding a place to spend the night was probably her best option.   
She soon caught sight of a brown brick building with a few small windows still lit. It didn’t look like a house, so Marleigh decided that a public place was the best place to go and find some help. As she turned the corner, she caught the name of the building on a large sign made of well-worn wood; “The Stardrop Saloon.”. The smell of baked bread and alcohol wafted through the ajar front door. Marleigh took a deep breath and walked inside.   
The saloon was pretty empty. There were only four people sitting around the large wrap-around bar. There were also a few high tables scattered about, and to the right a small arcade and some cozy chairs. It gave the place a very homey air. Marleigh approached the bar, and set her luggage down, stretching her sore arms and shoulders gratefully, happy for the break. A heavy set man with a well-groomed moustache and kind eyes approached.   
“Well hey there. You must be new around here. Name’s Gus. Good to meetcha.” He extended a hand, which Marleigh took hesitantly.   
“I’m Marleigh. And yeah I’m new.”  
“I figured. Haven’t seen anybody with hair like that before,” Gus replied with a wink. Marleigh subconsciously ran her fingers through her shoulder-length hair. Not too long ago, she dyed her hair a dark sapphire blue and shaved the bottom layer, leaving it a bit thinner but still easily managed when worn down. “It’s alright. Emily here also has some pretty hair. And Abagail. She doesn’t come here often though.” And the sound of her name, a woman in a red dress shirt and a long black shirt turned from the shelves behind the bar and smiled. Her hair was considerably lighter and seemingly unshaven, but had a similar style.   
“What was that, Gus?” she asked.   
“I was just telling Marleigh here that she’s not the only one here with different colored hair.” Emily laughed.  
“Definitely not. Name’s Emily, by the way.” The welcoming smile instantly calmed Marleigh’s nerves. “So what brings you by?”  
“I just got to town. I’m hoping to move into my grandfather’s house, but it’s dark and I don’t know my way around. So I was hoping to find a place to stay for the night.”  
“Your grandfather’s farm?” Gus asked with a furrowed eyebrow. “You mean the old Greyson place that’s been abandoned for years?”  
“You know it.”  
Gus laughed. “We know everything about everyone around here. It’s a small town. You’ll get used to it. But we have some extra rooms here. We double as an inn for the few travelers we get in these parts. Fee is $75 a night, and we can get someone to bring you out to the farm in the morning.”  
“Farm?” Marleigh questioned. Maybe he had the wrong place. She hadn’t actually visited her grandfather for quite some time, but she didn’t remember him having an actual farm.”  
“Yeah, farm. Didn’t you know? Your pa had quite the farm around here back in the day. Too bad what happened. I’m sorry for your loss. He was a good man.”  
Marleigh nodded, feeling tears instantly stinging her eyes. Her family hadn’t really spoken of her grandfather since he passed, preferring to pretend like it didn’t happen. It was refreshing and also a little relieving to hear him being spoken about in the open. Maybe she could get Gus to tell her some information about him when he was younger. “Thank you. And that sounds great. I’ll take a room for the night.” The money was exchanged quickly and Marleigh was given a room key.  
As Gus turned to address a woman with blonde curls whose head was on the bar, Emily handed Marleigh a glass of water. “Before you go rest for the night, let’s at least get you something to eat. We have spaghetti on special tonight, and I’m a pretty good cook.”  
“That would be great, thank you.”   
It took about ten minutes to actually get her food, but as soon as Marleigh started eating, she realized how hungry and exhausted she was. As she ate, she scanned the people who were still around. This time there were only two patrons. The woman, who Marleigh now saw was middle-aged and obviously drunk, and a youngish man in his mid-20’s. He wore a black sweatshirt over a button-up with a logo barely visible. Although Marleigh could barely see it, something about it seemed familiar. He caught her staring and scowled.  
“What are you looking at?” he snapped gruffly. Marleigh quickly look down towards her food.  
“N-nothing. Sorry.” It took five minutes for her nerves to begin to settle.  
Once Marleigh’s food was finished, she took her luggage and room key and headed up the stars where the inn’s rooms were located. Her arms felt like they were going to be pulled from their sockets as she pulled both suitcases up the stairs, but she eventually made it. Her room was the first door on the right. She opened it and threw her luggage inside with a loud thud. The room was a decent size. It had a full bathroom with shower, a large bed with clean-looking linens, a dresser with television, and a small table with two chairs on either side. The opposite wall contained a sliding glass door opening to a small balcony. On the dresser, the LED light said 11:49. No wonder Marleigh was tired. She pulled off her gray work boots, the heaviest, most inconvenient shoes she owned, and padded across the room to close the drapes around the glass door. She didn’t want people looking in.  
There were several streetlights barely illuminating the streets below, but as Marleigh looked out at her new town, she felt a profound sense of peace. Or maybe it was exhaustion, but a small smile curled the edges of her lips. She began to pull the edges of the deep red cotton drapes as a figure with long purple hair passed below a streetlight.   
She was beautiful.  
The girl’s hair was wavy, and well dyed a deep purple that contrasted with her alabaster skin. She had a small, slightly upturned nose, and lips glossed a deep purple that matched her hair. She wore basic black jeans, converse, and a black leather jacket. As she walked, there was a sadness in her eyes, and the way she pursed her lips stirred an unsettling feeling in Marleigh’s stomach. Just as quickly as she came, the girl disappeared into darkness. Marleigh stood for a moment, frozen, replaying the girl in her head several times before forcing her hands to close the drapes and her feet to bring her to the bed without changing into pajamas.   
Marleigh fell asleep in minutes, purple lacing her dreams that night.   
When the morning came Marleigh slowly opened her eyes, her shoulder muscles aching and her eyes burning in the light of the morning. She slowly stood and blinked away the tired feeling that threatened to pull her back into slumber. Wearing the same clothes, she stood and slowly made her way down the hall, planning on asking Gus for directions down to the farm and possibly getting food. Her stomach rumbled irritably at the thought, and Marleigh wished that she’d packed food yesterday for the bus ride.   
Gus was one step ahead of her. He greeted Marleigh with a kind smile and gestured to a woman with wild brown hair in a brown flannel. “Mornin’ Marleigh. I’ve asked Marnie here to show you the way to your pa’s farm. Marnie’s a heck of a rancher, so she may be able to give you some tips for upkeep and getting the place up and runnin’.”   
“Nice to meet you, Marleigh.” Marnie had a kind, mom-like smile that Marleigh found comforting.   
Marleigh quickly gathered her luggage and made her way back downstairs. Before the two headed out to the farm, they ordered some eggs and bacon, munching in calm silence and enjoying the company. As they finished their food, they headed out into the morning. The town was still very asleep, but Marleigh made out a doctor’s office, a general store, and several houses in various colors.   
“The farm isn’t far from here, actually, But until you’re settled it’s best not to wander around at night,” Marnie advised. “But it’s a lovely place full of good people.”  
“How long have you been here, Marnie?” Marleigh asked, curious. She guessed it was the kind of place that many people just never left.   
“Oh, about thirty years now. Moved here when I was young. Glad for the peace and quiet. At least until my nephew moved in and my niece Joz was coming around more.   
“Niece and nephew?”   
“Yeah, Jas is a sweet little kid. Love her like she’s my own. My nephew Shane is about your age, I think. You two may get along. He could really use some friends. He spends so much time either working, drinking at the Stardrop, or sitting in his room. I worry for him.” Marleigh instantly wondered if this was the same man who snapped at her last night. Before she could ask, Marleigh stopped at the edge of a clearing. “Here we are! Welcome to your new home!”  
Marleigh dropped her luggage in shock. 


End file.
